Zane Smith has set his plans for the foreseeable future. He has landed a multi-year extension with Front Row Motorsports.
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The NASCAR Cup Series team announced the news on Oct. 23 and confirmed that he will continue to stick with the team. He will remain in the No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse while continuing to gain experience at NASCAR's top level.
"We've had an up-and-down year, but heading into the offseason, I feel like we've put our program in a great position to hit the ground running in 2026," said Smith in a press release.
"Front Row has always felt like home — the people, both on the road and at the shop, truly make this a special place and I'm excited for what next season holds."
Additionally, Front Row Motorsports announced that crew chief Ryan Bergenty will continue to lead the No. 38 team in 2026. Bergenty is in his third season as a full-time crew chief, which includes time guiding both Todd Gilliland and Smith. The team then confirmed that both Gilliland and Noah Gragson will remain in the lineup in 2026.
He's baaaack.
We're excited to announce that we have agreed to a multi year extension with @ZaneSmith pic.twitter.com/IbUOrqkl5P
— Front Row Motorsports (@Team_FRM) October 23, 2025
Smith first joined Front Row Motorsports in 2022. He took over the No. 38 Ford F-150 as Gilliland moved up to the Cup Series, and he delivered immediate success in the Craftsman Truck Series.
Smith, who had finished second in the championship standings in 2020 and 2021, won four races in his first season at Front Row Motorsports. He finished top 10 in 19 of the 23 races, and he ended the season as the champion.
Smith returned to the Truck Series in 2023 and added two more wins to his resume. He ended the season seventh in the standings before ultimately moving up to the Cup Series with Trackhouse Racing.
The California native drove for Spire Motorsports in 2024 as part of a deal between Trackhouse and Spire Motorsports. He struggled early but delivered a runner-up finish at Nashville Superspeedway. He gained progress in the Gen 7 car but ultimately lost his ride.
Spire Motorsports moved forward with Carson Hocevar, Michael McDowell, and Justin Haley as its drivers. Trackhouse moved forward with Daniel Suarez, Ross Chastain, and Shane van Gisbergen.
Smith reunited with Front Row Motorsports and Ford Racing. He has since posted a career-high five top-10 finishes. An incident with Carson Hocevar disrupted his race at Iowa Speedway and led to a confrontation on pit road between the Spire Motorsports driver and Bergenty. An incident with John Hunter Nemechek at Kansas led to Smith riding the wall and flipping.
